


When Tomorrow Comes

by JohnTTompkins



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29342511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JohnTTompkins/pseuds/JohnTTompkins
Summary: In the blink of an eye, it was over; or so, Marius had thought. But in reality, something was about to begin: the rest of his life. Where would fate guide him? Only time would tell.
Relationships: Marius Pontmercy/Éponine Thénardier
Kudos: 2





	When Tomorrow Comes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marius Pontmercy realizes that he's been lying to himself all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have snuck a reference to another Boublil/Schonberg musical into this chapter. If you know what musical and song I referenced, leave a comment below and I'll tell you if you're right.

“What have you done?” asked Marius Pontmercy, worriedly looking down at his friend Éponine Thénardier, who had just been shot. He climbed down the barricade and sat beside her, bringing her into his arms. It only took a single look for him to realize that her injuries were most likely fatal. The rest of the students--and Éponine’s brother, Gavroche-- looked on as the pair exchanged what they assumed was their last goodbye. Her eyes slowly closed, and her head lolled onto his shoulder, a faint smile plastered on her lips. He kissed her forehead like he had promised, then allowed for Enjolras and a few of the others to move her body off to the side. 

“She will not die in vain,” Enjolras told him. Marius nodded softly, wiping a tear from his eye as he glanced over at her. Something was...off. He shot up from the ground so quickly that his friends thought he might fall. Grantaire grabbed him by the arm to stop him, but he wriggled free and ran over to where they had laid his friend. Slowly, he placed a hand on her chest, and gasped audibly.

  
  
“She...She’s still breathing! I don’t know how, but she’s alive!”

“ _What_?” Everyone turned toward him at his outburst. 

“I don’t understand it,” he repeated. “Gavroche, come here.”

The boy walked over as instructed and allowed Marius to take his hand and place it where his own had been moments earlier. He looked up at Marius, blue eyes wide in shock. “I don’t believe it. You’re right,” he gasped out. “But...how?”

Marius shrugged silently, but in the back of his mind, he was cursing her for scaring him like that. After all, he thought that she was well and truly dead. He didn’t know how to process the fact that somehow, the bullet had missed her vital organs. All he knew in this moment was that he needed to get her to a hospital, and fast. Carefully lifting her into his arms, he turned to Enjolras and asked, “Permission to leave?”

“Granted,” the other man replied with a solemn nod. “She needs you right now, so you may go. Be safe, my friend.” 

“You as well.” And with that, he turned to walk away from the barricaded, not knowing that he would never see any of his friends ever again. As he walked through the streets, narrowly dodging other skirmishes, Éponine opened her eyes. For a while, she remained silent, just absently staring up at him, but soon, she spoke up.

  
  
“Marius?” she asked weakly. “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to a hospital,” he explained. “You’ve been gravely injured.”

“Don’t you fret, Monsieur Marius. I don’t feel any pain. You’re here; that’s all I need to know.” Her voice remained a whisper as she spoke, nestling into his arms as he continued his trek to the nearest hospital. After a long while, he happened upon a hospital with a single bed available. Stepping inside, he carefully handed Éponine over to the attending nurse. She praised him for being so quick to arrive, then laid her on the bed so that her wounds could be treated. Marius, meanwhile, remained where he was, waiting for any updates on said treatment.

After a while, the nurse walked out to him and said, “I think she’ll be okay. However, she did lose quite a bit of blood. She’s asleep right now, but she asked for you before she fell asleep. Come with me.” Marius nodded softly and carefully stood up from the chair he’d decided to sit in while he waited and followed her to the room where Éponine was sleeping. At the sound of Marius’ footsteps, her eyes opened.

“Marius… Thank you… for saving me. But why?”

“You’re very welcome.” He smiled gently and carefully sat on the edge of the bed, gingerly running his fingers through her hair. “You really had me worried back there. I was so scared that I’d lost you.”

Éponine’s eyes widened. “You… what?”

“Yes, I... I thought I’d lost you.”

“But… I thought you loved Cosette. And I was happy to die for love of you.”

“That’s just it. I realized that I don’t love her. I love _you_.”

Hearing those words made Éponine feel as though she could fly. Her eyes welled up with tears that seemed to make them twinkle in the dim light of the room. “You do?”

“I do. I always have, in fact.”

Éponine could hardly believe what she was hearing. Marius had loved her all along? That revelation made her heart soar. She sat up as best she could in her condition and gently took his hand, the tears that had been building up finally overflowing. He squeezed her hand softly and wiped her tears away with the other. Neither one said a word for a few moments, until, finally, she whispered, “This all feels like a dream. But...I know it’s not. And if it were, I wouldn’t want to wake up.” She brought his hand up to her lips and kissed it tenderly. Her lips, as rough as they looked, were somehow soft. A sudden silence enveloped them once again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. No, they were quite happy to simply sit there and just be with each other; no revolution, no barricade, just the two of them and their love. But then, a thought occurred to Éponine: what would her parents say? She doubted that they would care much, if at all, but she requested their presence nonetheless. The nurse obliged and quickly wrote a letter to them, explaining that their daughter had been seriously wounded in a battle, and that she had requested their presence. When the letter arrived at the Thénardiers’ inn in Montfermeil, it was discovered to have gone out of business. So instead, the letter was handed off when the errand boy who had been given the job had found them begging on a corner not far from their former place of business. Here is what the letter said:

_To Whom It May Concern:_

_Your daughter was brought to our hospital a short time ago. She was wounded at one of the barricades. She was brought here by one of the revolutionaries, but he wouldn’t give his name. She lost quite a bit of blood, but she’s in stable condition now. In fact, she has requested your presence. Please, come at your earliest convenience._

_~Simplice._

M. Thénardier read the letter carefully once, then twice, then tore it to shreds, shaking his head in what appeared to be disappointment. Mme. Thénardier cocked a brow at her husband and asked, “Was that about Éponine?”

“Yes. _Apparently_ , she almost got herself killed, and now she’s asking for us.”

The woman frowned deeply. “I see. We’d better go, then.”

“Right behind you.”

The pair immediately stood up from their spots on the corner and hurried off to the hospital to see their daughter. When they arrived, Sister Simplice led them to her room, where they saw Marius _embracing_ their daughter. M. Thénardier scowled momentarily, but his wife touched his shoulder to calm him down, saying, “This could be good. If she marries him, we’ll be rich.”

The man shook his head softly, remaining silent for a little while longer, before whispering back, “No; if she marries him, _she’ll_ be rich.”

“True, but you know what I mean. Should she choose to send some money our way, we’ll be rich.”

“Precisely.”

Éponine cleared her throat softly, raising a brow. “If you’re going to talk about your daughter that way, could you not do it in front of her?”

M. Thénardier growled and balled his hand into a fist, raising it to take a swing at her for that response. As his elbow reared back, an uncomfortable silence fell on the room. Was he really about to punch his own daughter in a hospital, and in front of a nun, no less? Slowly, his hand fell to his side and he turned to leave, head hung in shame. Marius shook his head in disbelief at what he had just witnessed. He was at a loss for words, as was Éponine, even though a part of her was used to that sort of treatment. Mme. Thénardier soon turned to leave as well, without so much as a word of farewell.

Once they were alone again, Éponine said, “That went as well as I expected. I should have known that he would do that.” Marius nodded in agreement, then sighed deeply, gently leaning against her shoulder. She raised her hand slowly and gingerly brushed her fingers through his hair. _I could get used to this,_ she thought in regards to their closeness and the faint beating of his heart as she moved her head onto his chest. Now, it was his turn to run his fingers through her hair. As he did so, she lightly nuzzled his hand, much like the way a cat would. A chuckle passed Marius’ lips at the rather adorable behavior, and he playfully ruffled her hair. They stayed that way until nightfall, at which time Marius decided to return to the barricade, against his better judgment. But when he arrived…he was greeted not by his friends, but the nauseating mixture of the stenches of blood and gunpowder. As he looked around, he saw the corpses of his friends strewn about the barricade as though they were mere ragdolls. The sight broke his heart. He fell to his knees and wept quietly. “My friends… Forgive me.” After a few minutes, he stood up, and was about to go back to his apartment, when...

“Éponine? What are you doing up? Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“I was, but then I realized that you had left, so I came looking for you. I sort of expected to find you here.” As she spoke, she walked over to him and gently took his hands. “Don’t blame yourself. You wanted to make sure that I was cared for; you had permission to leave. It’s okay.” Her voice was soft, and he intertwined his fingers through hers as he listened to her. “I will never go away, and we will be together every day.”

“Every day,” Marius repeated, nodding softly. “And we’ll remember this night, and this vow. A heart full of love…”

  
  
“A heart full of you. The words I thought you’d never say. Not to me, not for me.” Suddenly, her world seemed a different place; somehow full of grace, full of light. _Yesterday, I was alone. Today, he is beside me_ , she thought as she studied his face with a smile. Something suddenly had begun. They were about to leave the place where the barricade had been, when…

“Gavroche!” she cried out, running over to the boy’s corpse. “What happened to him?”

“He was shot,” Marius answered gravely, indicating the bloodstains on his clothes. “By the National Guard, most likely.”

Éponine knelt down and wrapped her arms around Gavroche’s lifeless body and began to weep more than she had ever wept in her life. Marius knelt beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright,” he told her. “He’s at rest, peacefully in heaven.”

She looked at him with tear-filled eyes, some still trailing down her cheeks. “You think so?”

“I know so,” he answered, gently wiping her tears away. “He was a good kid.”

At that moment, she was overcome by a feeling of dizziness, and nearly collapsed as she stood up, but he managed to catch her before she hit the ground. “Thank you,” she whispered, leaning against him as he pulled her close. “I guess I should rest a while longer, huh?” Marius nodded softly, carefully lifting her into his arms. Grinning, she wrapped her arms around his neck. And then, he carried her back to his apartment, where he gingerly lowered her down onto his bed so she could rest. As she lay there, she slowly drifted off to sleep, but she didn’t sleep peacefully. Her head lolled back and forth, and she mumbled fearfully, beads of sweat forming across her brow. Sensing that something was troubling her, Marius gently nudged her shoulder in an attempt to wake her, and after a few tries, she sat up, panting heavily. “Thank you for waking me. I was having a terrible nightmare.”

“Your father?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s alright. I’ll protect you from him. I promise.”

“Really?” Her eyes seemed to light up at his words. “I… Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. It’s the least I can do. Besides, I’ve been wanting to give him a piece of my mind for a while now.”

“You have? Why?”

“For the way he treats you. No parent should ever treat their child like that.” As he spoke, he lightly dabbed a cloth across her forehead to dry the beads of sweat still pooling on her skin. “I will speak with him tomorrow.”

“If you’re sure. Just be careful.”

“I will.”

After that conversation had ended, she fell back asleep, smiling warmly. Marius fell asleep soon after, having moved to sit in the chair by the bed. The next morning, he awoke brightly and early to ensure that Éponine was taken care of before he headed out. As he walked through the streets, he hummed softly to himself. After a while, he happened on M. Thénardier, begging on the corner. “M. Thénardier,” said he with a bow even though the other didn’t deserve his respect. “May I have a word with you?”

“Of course. But, uh… you’re gonna have to pay.”

“How much?”

“Ten francs per minute.”

“Fine. It shouldn’t take too long, anyway.” As he said so, he handed over ten francs before getting to the point. “I’m certain that you are aware by now, but your daughter and I are in love. And it is because I love her that I cannot allow you to continue treating her the way you do.”

“I see,” mumbled the other, scratching his chin. “I’m assuming that you intend to marry her someday, then?”

“Of course. As such, and I can’t believe that it has come to this, I’m also here to ask for your permission and blessing to do so.”

M. Thénardier paused momentarily, still scratching his chin. “Well, in that case... I suppose there’s nothing I can do. You have my blessing.”

“Thank you. I will tell her the good news as soon as I return to my apartment.” With that taken care of, Marius returned to his apartment, and was greeted by the sight of Éponine sitting on the bed, staring out the window. When she heard his footsteps, she turned toward the door and smiled softly. 

“How did it go?” she asked, carefully standing up so as not to aggravate her wounds. 

“It went well, surprisingly.” He chuckled quietly and took her hand gently. “He gave me his blessing and permission to marry you someday.”

Her eyes widened at his words, and her heart skipped a beat. “He did? That was sudden.”

“Indeed, it was. But it saves me the trouble of having to ask him later.”

“That’s true. But now you’ve got me curious about when you’re actually gonna pop the question.”

“In due time, my love. When the time comes, we’ll both know.”

“I trust you.”

As time went on, Marius began to plan out exactly how he was going to propose to Éponine. After a few months, he finally figured it out. One morning, he decided to make a game of it. He slipped out of bed while she was still asleep, even before the sun had risen, and wrote a quick note explaining his plan:

_My dear Éponine,_

_When you read this note, I will be out and about, putting a plan into motion. I have been thinking about how to go about this for some time and today, I arrived at a solution. I thought it might be fun to send you on a scavenger hunt of sorts. As such, here is your first clue: there was a certain house that we both lived in for a time, and a certain flower grew outside of the house. Your next clue will be there._

_~Marius._

Éponine awoke to find him gone, which made her a little sad, but when she found the note, she was confused momentarily. _A certain house?_ she thought. _That would have to be… the Gorbeau House!_ When she realized that, she immediately got dressed and ran to said location, where Mme. Gorbeau was waiting for her. The old woman greeted her warmly and gave her something to eat before passing off the next note. The note read:

_Éponine,_

_If you are reading this, that means that you have deciphered the last clue. It also means that you are one step closer to your surprise. Do you recall that flower that I mentioned? Your next clue is somewhere in the area surrounding the spot where it grew._

_~Marius._

She read the note a few times over, trying to recall the flower. “Marigold,” she soon gasped out in realization. After thanking the old woman, she ran outside to see if the marigolds were still growing there. Lucky for her, they were, and there was a note nestled between two of the flowers. She carefully picked it up and read it quietly to herself:

_Éponine,_

_Congratulations on finding the next note. Just a few more to go. Your next clue is hidden somewhere near a favorite spot of yours, where all the lights are misty._

_~Marius._

  
  


She pondered his phrasing for a moment, repeating it to herself before exclaiming, “The river! It has to be!” She ran to the river, hoping that she had figured it out. When she arrived, she looked around, trying to find the next note. She eventually found it near the bridge. She pursed her lips in thought as she read it carefully:

_Éponine,_

_You have done it again. This is your second to last clue. It’s actually not even a clue at all. It’s more of an instruction. I would like for you to stay as you are right now, which knowing you, is looking out across the river. I will be there shortly._

_~Marius._

Éponine was quite confused at this point. She wondered how he knew exactly what she was doing, but she paid it no mind, having decided to chalk it up to the fact that they had been friends for a long time. As she looked out across the river, she heard footsteps behind her. She resisted the urge to turn tail and run just long enough for a familiar voice to call to her, saying, “Turn around.” She turned around slowly, and there, standing before her, was Marius.

“Are you surprised?” he asked, walking over to her and pulling her into his arms.

“Quite,” she answered, returning the embrace. “But I have a feeling that you have one more surprise for me. Am I right?”

“You are, indeed,” said he, stepping back and dropping to one knee. “Éponine Thénardier, I know that this might be a little sudden, but I can’t imagine my life without you in it. And so, I feel that it is the best time to ask…” He paused and took a ring out of his pocket. “Will you make me the happiest man in France and marry me?”

Éponine stared at him in what could only be described as utter shock, mouth agape. “I… Yes!” she finally exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes. “Yes, I will!” She cupped his face and kissed him deeply before allowing him to slide the ring on her finger. She then kissed him once again, smiling warmly on his lips. “I love you so much. My heart has never been so full.”

“I love you too,” he whispered on her lips before slowly breaking the kiss. “And I know what you mean. My heart is so full, it feels like it could burst any moment.” He kissed her once again before lifting her into his arms and carrying her back to their apartment, as he had done before. Once they had arrived, he set her down on the bed. 

She looked at him, resting her chin on her hand. “Have I ever told you how handsome you are?” A playful grin tugged at her lips as she spoke. “If I haven’t, but even if I have, you’re very handsome. You are sunlight and I, the moon.”

“But the moon,” he replied with a chuckle, sitting beside her, “cannot shine without the sun. “Night cannot exist without day.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, _mon amour_ ,” she teased, stealing a kiss. “But I do love listening to you talk.”

He kissed back lovingly, smiling gently on her lips before saying, “Do you, now?”

“I do. I could listen to you for hours.”

“You’re too sweet.”

“Only for you.”

The two spent the rest of the day talking about what they thought the future might have in store for them. That night, they went out for dinner to celebrate their engagement. Afterward, they took a walk along the Seine. The next few months would find them planning their wedding. Neither one fully knew what to expect, but they figured that they could work it out together.

When the big day finally came, Éponine had gone to the Luxembourg Gardens to wait for Marius to arrive. She looked around the park, smoothing out a few wrinkles in her dress. _Where is he?_ she thought, looking around once more. The priest who was meant to officiate the ceremony had arrived later than he had meant to, but that was the least of her concerns at the moment. “Have you seen the groom?” she asked.

The old man shook his head softly. “I have not. But I’m sure he’ll turn up soon.”

“Right. He’s probably on his way now.”

Just as she said that, a carriage pulled up, and Marius hopped out. “My apologies for being tardy. I had a bit of a mishap with the carriage.”

“It’s alright,” she said, hugging him tightly. “What matters is that you’re here now.”

“Indeed.” The priest nodded and cleared his throat. “Stand beside her, if you would.”

Marius nodded and moved to Éponine’s side, taking her hand. She squeezed his hand gently and glanced sidelong at him. The priest cleared his throat once again and said, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Marius Pontmercy and Éponine Thénardier in holy matrimony. The groom’s family, unfortunately, could not be here with us; the bride’s family, however, are with us today. In fact, her father would like to say a few words. M. Thénardier, if you please.”

Her father stepped forward and cleared his throat, taking a piece of paper from his pocket. “Éponine,” he began, unfolding the paper, “I know I haven’t been the best father in the world, but I wanted to be here to celebrate your wedding to this fine young man. Ever since the two of you met, I could tell that you loved him. And now, as sad as I am to let you go, I know you will be safe with him. And Marius, I know we’ve had our disagreements, but I hope that you will take good care of my daughter, and love her as only you can.”

The priest smiled softly. “Thank you for being able to join us, and for those moving words.” Then, he turned his attention back to Marius and Éponine. “Now, I understand that you have written your own vows. Please, read them, if you would.”

Marius nodded, taking a slip of paper from his pocket. Unfolding it carefully, he began to read. “Éponine, I’m not sure where to begin, but I suppose the beginning would be a good place to do so. When we met, I was unsure of my place in the world. I thought that I wanted something that I would never have. But I didn’t realize that what I truly wanted, no; what I needed, was in front of me all along.”

Éponine smiled warmly as he spoke, a tear rolling down her cheek. Then, her father handed her a slip of paper. “I suppose it’s my turn, then.” She unfolded it and began to read. “Marius, when we met, I was just a street kid. I thought you would never love me the way I love you, but these past few months have made me realize how wrong I was to think that. With you by my side, I feel like I can do anything. In turn, I will support you throughout the rest of our lives.”

The priest once again cleared his throat, smiling. “Now, then. If the bride and groom would please face each other with their hands intertwined.” At his instruction, they did just that, gazing into each other’s eyes. “Marius, do you promise to love, honor, cherish and respect Éponine above all others from this day forward until your very last day on earth?”

“I do,” Marius answered with a grin.

The priest nodded softly before speaking once again. “Éponine, do you promise to love, honor, cherish and respect Marius above all others from this day forward until your very last day on earth?”

“I do.”

“May I have the rings, please?” In response to the question, M. Thénardier stepped forward once more and handed over the rings, which in turn, were given to Marius and Éponine. “Marius, please repeat after me: Éponine, please accept this ring as a token of my true, pure love for you. With this, I give you my heart and my soul. They are yours forever more.”

Marius exhaled, then repeated the priest’s words. “Éponine, please accept this ring as a token of my true, pure love for you. With this, I give you my heart and my soul. They are yours forever more.” Then, he slipped the ring on her finger.

And the, the priest spoke yet again. “Éponine, please repeat after me: Marius, please accept this ring as a token of my true, pure love for you. With this, I give you my heart and my soul. They are yours forever more.”

She cleared her throat quietly and repeated, “Marius, please accept this ring as a token of my true, pure love for you. With this, I give you my heart and my soul. They are yours forever more.” After she’d finished speaking, she slipped the ring on his finger.

Once again, the priest spoke up, saying, “We thank God for bringing these two souls together, and for blessing them now and always. Now, by the power vested in me by God, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss.”

As the final word was spoken, Marius pulled Éponine close and kissed her deeply. She smiled on his lips and returned it with equal passion and love. When the ceremony had ended, the newlyweds returned to their apartment. Now, the rest of their lives were about to begin. When they had arrived at their apartment, Marius lifted her into his arms and carried her across the threshold. After setting her on the bed, he said, “Well Mme. Pontmercy, where shall we go for our honeymoon?”

“How do you feel about England?” she inquired, raising a brow.

“England? I think that’s a wonderful idea. When shall we go?”

“Why don’t we leave tonight?” 

“Tonight it is,” he agreed, going to retrieve a pair of trunks for them to pack. They spent the next few hours packing for their journey across the sea. Their first stop would be Calais, and from there, they would sail to England. That night, they took a carriage to Calais to board the next ferry to England. When the ferry arrived, they were the first passengers to board. In fact, they were the only passengers that night. Upon their arrival, rented a room at the closest inn and settled down for the night.


End file.
